the sun and the stars
by marauders4lyf
Summary: Theirs is a story that spans years, one that's been retold and dissected and torn apart. Because she was the sun and he was the stars, and when they collided it was like the whole world was lit up just for them.


**Disclaimer: You can bet that if **_**I**_** was JKR, there would already be a Marauders-era book and a Marauders-era movie out. But I'm not. And there isn't. Much to my chagrin. Also, the first, second, last and second last italicized parts of dialogue are taken straight from the books. So I don't own those, either. **

**A/N: This is dedicated to my crazy friend Saily, who got me hooked on Jily in the first place. So you can blame her for this. I love you Saily! *waves***

_the sun and the stars_

Theirs is a story that spans years, one that's been retold and dissected and torn apart. Because she was the sun and he was the stars, and when they collided it was like the whole world was lit up just for them.

They first met at 11, on the train to Hogwarts. He was a pureblood, she was Muggle-born. He was excited and confident and knowledgeable, she was excited and terrified and confused. He was a prat and a show-off and she _loathed_ him.

_Let's go find another compartment, Sev._

_Ohhhhh, Seeevvvvvvv..._

They both felt that tug in their guts and it confused the hell out of both of them. So they ignored it. Instead, he made fun of her hair and her best friend, and she positively vibrated with anger and hatred. As she left, he thought that anger became her _(and her hair)_. It made her glow, like the sun.

Soon they were 15, and she loathed him no less than she did when she was 11. Except when she didn't. For he was still a prat and a show-off, and she still hated those parts of him, but he was also smart and funny and sometimes even sweet, and she was so _confused_.

_Go out with me, Evans?_

_Not if it was between you and the Giant Squid!_

Yet he still made fun of her best friend, and he was arrogant as well. But with one wrong word _(it replayed in her head over and over again, like a siren MUDBLOOD MUDBLOOD MUDBLOOD)_, her best friend suddenly wasn't her best friend any more, shattering her heart. And he, the prat, the show-off, was there to help glue the pieces back together. For she was his sun, and when she wasn't glowing, his world was dark.

Then they were 16 and suddenly she didn't loathe him any more. The little boy on the train _(the prat, the show-off)_ had grown up, leaving a strong and mature and _kind_ man in his place. Yet somehow, she was less confused.

_Can we be friends, James?  
Lily, I've been waiting years to hear you say that._

They spent more and more time together, learning about each other. She found that he was caring and loyal and trustworthy and he saw even more how fiery and sweet and perceptive she was. That tug in their guts _(bringing them closer and closer)_ was growing stronger and stronger, and other people were noticing. _" _That boy looks at you like you're the sun,"her mother told her. But she didn't believe it.

Suddenly they were 17, and loathing him could not be further from her mind. They were in love, and both of them knew it. For him, loving her was second nature, as easy and as subconscious as breathing. For her, loving him was terrifying and exhilarating and possibly the best thing to ever happen to her.

_This time, you have to ask me!_

_Fine! Go out with me, Potter?_

Their friends sighed- it had been a long time coming. Their parents smiled indulgently and ruffled their hair, happy and glad and sad that they had found each other _(they hardly needed parents now that they had each other!)_. But of course, nobody was happier about their shiny new relationship than they were. They were constantly touching, smiling, kissing or just _looking_ at each other, as if wondering how they could have possibly ended up with somebody so perfect. And then she finally noticed that he looked at her like the sun.

All too soon they were 19, and they had left Hogwarts. War was raging on outside their little bubble, and she could barely remember ever loathing him. They were terrified and worried and always looking over their shoulders, scared that one day a stray spell just might take one of them out _(constant vigilance). _But they had each other still, and not even war could diminish the happiness they felt because of that.

_Marry me, Evans?_

_Okay, Potter._

They had a small ceremony, just their closest friends. He was elated and exuberant- this was the fulfilment of a wish, a hope, a dream 8 years old. She was quieter in her happiness, but she couldn't _(wouldn't)_ stop signing everything as "Lily Potter" with a huge grin on her face. But when they found out that they were about to add a third member to their little family, they felt the same. Terrified. Worried. _Impossibly _happy. It was the middle of a war, but they were as content as they could ever hope to be. Because he never stopped looking at her _(and her belly)_ like the sun.

They were 21, and it felt like it was all over. War had broken through their tiny bubble, and it had dug its claws into their sun. They went into hiding, still more fearful than before, but every time their son smiled it was like the whole world stopped what they were doing just to _look_ at him. Goodness knows that they did _exactly_ that countless times every day. And she laughed at herself for ever loathing him_._

_The rumour is that Lily and James Potter are — are — that they're — dead._

_Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus…_

Their friends were devastated, broken. The war may have been over, but for anyone that had known them, times were still as dark. Nobody knew what to do, because _they_ had always been the ones that people ran to with problems. And who could blame those poor souls, for when the sun burns out and the stars go dark, how is anybody supposed to know what to do?

Theirs is a story that spans years, one that will be retold, dissected and torn apart. Because she was Lily and he was James. She was his sun, lighting up his world, and he was her stars, steadily shining on when all was dark. And when they collided, it was like the whole world was lit up just for them.

_Why did she marry him? She hated him!_

_Nah, she didn't._

_fin._

**A/N: That was my first shot at Jily. I hope you enjoyed. If you did, please drop a line In that handy-dandy review box. If you didn't, please drop a line in that handy-dandy review box. Thanks for reading!**

**-marauders4lyf**


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